The present invention relates, in general, to fluid quick connectors which couple male and female connector components.
Snap-fit or quick connectors are employed in a wide range of applications, particularly, for joining fluid carrying conduits in automotive and industrial application. Such quick connectors utilize retainers or locking elements for securing a male connector component, such as a tubular conduit, within a complimentary bore of a female connector component or housing. Such retainers are typically of either the axially-displaceable or radially-displaceable type. The terms “axially-displaceable” or “radially-displaceable” are taken relative to the axial bore through the female component.
In a typical quick connector with an axially displaceable, retainer, the retainer is mounted within a bore in a housing of the female connector component of housing. The retainer has a plurality of radially and angularly extending legs which extend inwardly toward the axial center line of the bore in the housing. A tube or male component to be sealingly mounted in the bore in the female component includes a radially upset portion or flange which abuts an inner peripheral surface of the retainer legs. Seal and spacer members as well as a bearing or top hat are typically mounted in the bore ahead of the retainer to form a seal between the housing and the male fitting when the male fitting is lockingly engaged with the retainer legs in the housing.
Radially displaceable retainers are also known in which the retainer is radially displaceable through aligned bores or apertures formed transversely to the main throughbore in the female component housing. Examples of radially displaceable retainers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,542,716, 5,730,481, 5,782,502, 5,863,077 and 5,951,063. The radially displaceable retainer is typically provided with a pair of depending legs which are sized and positioned to slip behind the radially upset portion or flange on the male conduit only when the male connector or conduit is fully seated in the bore in the female component. This ensures a positive locking engagement of the conduit with the female component as well as providing an indication that the conduit is fully seated since the radially displaceable retainer can be fully inserted into the female component only when the conduit has been fully inserted into the bore in the female component.
Regardless of the type of retainer, the female housing or component portion of a fluid connector typically includes an elongated stem having one or more annular barbs spaced from a first end. The barbs provide secure engagement with a hose or conduit which is forced over the barbs to connect the female housing with one end of the conduit.
With transverse mounted, radially displaceable retainers as well as axially mounted retainers, the distance between the axially outer end of the tube bead or flange and the opposite end of the connector housing, in an installed position, is a concern. Typically, the length of the retainer must be long enough to insure a fully inserted position of the tubular member in the housing when the retainer is in the latched position. Further, the length of the retainer must be such to avoid latching of the tubular member in the housing axially ahead of the tube bead.
These features have not been able to be provided in a short length quick connect suitable usable in applications having limited space.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a low profile fluid quick connector having a reduced axial length which maintains all of the full insertion, high pull-out force resistance features of quick connectors having transversely mounted, radially displaceable retainers.